100% leaf mulch this year - thoughts on deficiencies?

[solid7]

Originally Posted by drew51

Right confirms what I said he suggests composted bark. Only to use uncomposted if that is all you can get. I think that is very clear. We happen to be friends. He lives nearby. We used to be at each others throats. We disagree a lot, but we eventually worked it out. We agree to disagree. I just talked to him a few days ago.

Al is just one source - but either way - the bigger point is, nobody should fear the worst for using uncomposted. It is an acceptable alternative, and I've been unable to ever tell the difference in a side-by-side comparison.

Agreeing to disagree is a very civil position to take.

[drew51]

Originally Posted by solid7

Al is just one source - but either way - the bigger point is, nobody should fear the worst for using uncomposted. It is an acceptable alternative, and I've been unable to ever tell the difference in a side-by-side comparison.

Agreeing to disagree is a very civil position to take.

Well i have to disagree with that

I do agree with you. I don't think it matters either. I could harvest pine bark, but it is too hard to do. My in-laws own an acre of pine trees, Lot's of dead ones. I do harvest the straw. It's nice too, Considered low grade, but it is soft an easy to work with. Here in the city I harvest pine straw from city trees. The straw is long and hard. You need gloves. I'm not sure what the trees are? Both are nice. I like using the product as a mulch and to protect my strawberries.

[Lindalana]

In my zone 5 leaves take a while to decompose, one- because they are whole, two- because our winters cold. So in the spring my leaf mold is nearly the same. By the end of the summer we are ready for new load. Interesting that amount of slugs have significantly decreased so my hostas are looking much better now. No watering or fertilizing has been nice time saving improvement.

this is what is looks by late spring

and by late summer

[Lindalana]

end of the summer

[Labradors2]

Very pretty Lindalana! Love the Hellebore!

Linda

[drew51]

Yes, looks awesome!

[Salsacharley]

That is a great looking spot to dwell in. Very very nice!

[ScottinAtlanta]

Something I love about this site is that nowhere else do people become as passionate about soil building. Good for you folks!

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Something I love about this site is that nowhere else do people become as passionate about soil building. Good for you folks!

Guilty as charged.

[AlittleSalt]

I agree Scott. It's good to read soil building in other places than your own gardens.

[Lindalana]

This year experiment- one of the garden beds near the house- from Sep to Nov mustards growing as green mulch, in Nov wood chips, fresh manure and leaf mulch applied. Plan for spring to put landscape fabric over it early March for warming up soil and speeding up microbial processes, it will not be tilled, moved away from hole when planted and then moved back. I will let worms to do the job of composting. I expect it will disappear by the end of May when freshly composted batch will be ready to top dress. Have to add that soil was tested with Intl Ag Labs and adjusted in Sep.

[gregory]

Its all one big experiment & enjoyment at the same time. Plus we reap the benefits of our labors.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Just hoed in another 350 pounds of coffee grounds into the mulched leaves. The mulch mix is dark, wormy, and looking great. In 8 weeks, it will be ready to support my plants.

[ScottinAtlanta]

The uncomposted leaf mulch seems to be working well. 7 weeks after dressing the beds with several inches of leaf mulch, and hoeing coffee grounds into them once or twice, the leaves are breaking down into about 2-3 inches crumbly dark brown soil. I added several sprinklings of wood ash to the leaf mulch to bring up the pH and add some potassium.

This speed of decomposition seems a warmer climate result - I notice that there is little decomposition when temps are around freezing, but rapid decomposition when temps climb above 40 or 45. This is a great lazy man approach - no need to haul two thousand pounds of leaf and branch mulch to a compost pile and then back to the beds.

Postscript: Rain seems to be essential with this approach. We have had 9.4 inches of rain in 7 weeks since I put down the mulch, and the mulch has stayed pretty moist. I don't think it would have worked if it had been a dry period.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

The uncomposted leaf mulch seems to be working well. 7 weeks after dressing the beds with several inches of leaf mulch, and hoeing coffee grounds into them once or twice, the leaves are breaking down into about 2-3 inches crumbly dark brown soil. I added several sprinklings of wood ash to the leaf mulch to bring up the pH and add some potassium.

This speed of decomposition seems a warmer climate result - I notice that there is little decomposition when temps are around freezing, but rapid decomposition when temps climb above 40 or 45. This is a great lazy man approach - no need to haul two thousand pounds of leaf and branch mulch to a compost pile and then back to the beds.

Absolutely true! We'll make a lazy gardener out of you yet!

Remember when you posted all the hard work you put in trying to layer it in yourself? Much easier working with nature instead of trying to force isn't it?